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klyde_gw

Hoya rubra?

klyde
13 years ago

Hi everyone:

Haven't posted in a long time - hope you and your plants are all well.

Little story: went into our local Safeway and just about keeled over in excitement. They were selling Exotic Angel hoyas! Now I know for my American hoya brothers and sisters this is no big deal, but for me up here in Victoria Canada it was plenty exciting. Ya ya ya, get a life I know. Back to the story. Never seen EA plants here, can't speak for Eastern Canada (Mike?) but never EA plants. Not at Walmart, Home Depot, Rona. Nope. Of course I bought one! Silly question. Now they only had what they call H. rubra (is it Krimson Princess?), and I don't normally go for the larger scale hoyas, but it was in nice shape and had such pretty leaves...anyway couple or three questions for all of you. Did I read some time back that EA puts their hoyas in an altogether unacceptable mix? If so, should I change it promptly even considering the time of year? Is it prone to reverting and should I nip off those reverty bits? Lastly, how do I grow this hoya? It is a carnosa (mutant/variant...?) right?

I'm gonna get in touch with Safeway Corporate and see if they can bring in more varieties of hoyas. If they can bring in bog-standard Ivy's from EA, surely they can bring in other types of hoyas. For you Canadians reading this, check your local Safeway, you might be surprised...

Kelly in Victoria

Comments (8)

  • golden_ca_2000
    13 years ago

    Thanks Kelly... I can understand your excitement! I will definitely keep a heads up in the safeway.... hopefully ours here in Langley will bring them in!! We can only wish!

  • cpawl
    13 years ago

    Hi
    Last week I saw them at my safeway near my home in Delta.I asked the lady in the flower department if they will be getting more and she said it might be a one time thing for the holidays.But I plan to take a look when I'm in the store.

    Cindy

  • mdahms1979
    13 years ago

    I am not sure if Hoya carnosa Rubra is an excepted name anymore or not but this plant is probably the same one we call Hoya carnosa 'Krimson Princess'.
    I let me Hoya carnosa dry slightly between watering and try not to let it get too dry if it's actively growing or blooming.
    I have seen EA plants at Walmart but that's it, got my Hoya lacanosa 'Ruby Sue' there a while back. The mix that EA uses has changed and is much better than what they used before. I have a hard time checking the mix so I test if my plant needs water by lifting it, when it's wet the pot is quite heavy.

    Mike

  • mel_10
    13 years ago

    Kelly,
    I bought an EA Hoya "Rubra" from a local Wal-mart and had to ask the same questions. I was told by the wonderful people on this site, that yes, Rubra is the same as H. carnosa "Krimson Princess". I also asked about the vines that were reverting to solid green, and if by removing those vines I could help prevent other vines from reverting, but got no answer. Hope you have better luck getting an answer than I did.
    Mel

  • mdahms1979
    13 years ago

    Generally speaking an all green vine will be more efficient at photosynthesis than a variegated one so it will more than likely grow faster and in time this can overtake the variegated growth. You can trim the all green growth when it's big enough and start another plant from the cutting. This sort of thing holds true for all plant mutations be it variegation or crested growth, trimming the normal growth away will keep the plant true to it's mutated form, that sounds like an oxymoron. LOL

    Mike

  • klyde
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Hey thanks for all of the advice. My scoop at Safeway is not such big news after all. I was plenty excited let me tell you.

    Mike, get out of town. Are you telling me you got Ruby Sue at Walmart? Now that is one heck of a scoop. Tell me about it. I remember a post about it last year but do not recall the details...

    I like to check Walmart, Home Depot and Rona locally as they bring up some stuff from the States that I just never see. Super Store used to be good for the odd amazing treasure too, but not in years. At least not on Vancouver Island which may have something to do with it.

    I do not, as a rule, even give Carnosa's a second glance, and here I have one. Too funny. What can I expect for a bloom? Did I read that they are a deeper pink? We had a carnosa years ago and it took several years for it to bloom. Same with Krimson Princess?

    'Scuse all the questions :)

  • mdahms1979
    13 years ago

    Klyde when I saw that Ruby Sue there was no way I was going home without it. I don't often see Hoyas for sale locally other than Hoya carnosa which is often at Rona. The last time I was at Walmart there were four or five baskets of Hoya kentiana. I have only seen Hoyas at Walmart three or four times in the last two or three years and then only at the big Walmarts with the garden centers.
    I have not taken any photos of my Hoya lacanosa 'Ruby Sue', it's bloomed once but is currently putting on lots of new growth.

    I had a Hoya carnosa Krimson Princess and it had larger more numerous flowers than my green leafed carnosa and they did not open as flat, were light pink and had longer flower pedicles.

    Mike

  • klyde
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Can't get over that Mike. Ruby Sue at Walmart. That would NEVER happen here. Island living sigh...the local Walmart's carry an amazing selection (and now I'm being sarcastic) of small potted cacti gardens with glue-gunned straw flowers on top. Hey, maybe I've found my new profession: to emancipate all those cacti from gaudy little flowers. Somebody's got to do it and might as well be me. Note to self: get some t-shirts printed up...

    What is that with lacunosa and new growth at this time of year? Have me a lacunosa of some sort or another. It was looking straggly and past it's prime (I can relate) so I hacked 'er back and took a bunch of cuttings. Made a very full little pot. Well took a look at the Mama plant and thought what the heck. How about a nice spot, regular water and fairly heavy fert regime. Whoa! Grew like crazy, sprouts and tendrils everywhere. Looks better than the day I got it, and Tom did send a very nice specimen btw...

    Kelly

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